Disclaimer: I do not own Moonlight or any of its characters.
Characters: Mick, Beth, Josef and an OC.
Rated G
Thank you Barnabas for the perfect story banner!
Previously in Follow That Freshie...
Beth watched Mick park on the street across from an old building and head inside. She parked a couple of blocks behind his car and used her binoculars to read the sign on the building’s lawn. A homeless shelter? What in the world is going on? Suddenly the passenger door opened and someone jumped into her car. Beth screamed.
Chapter 4
“Whoa! It’s just me.”
“Mick!” Beth grabbed her chest trying to still her pounding heart.
“Want to tell me what you’re doing?”
“How did you know I was here?”
Mick couldn’t help grinning at her. “I’m a PI! You think I can’t tell when I’m being followed?”
Beth’s face fell and she looked at her lap. “I thought I had done a good job of following you,” she said disheartened.
Mick cupped her chin and drew her face up. “Actually, it wasn’t half bad. I’m just a very good PI.” He was relieved to see a small smile on her face. “Now, what do you think you’re doing? How did you know I wasn’t on a stakeout of some…” Mick searched for the words, “…some ax murderer?”
Beth’s face clouded again. She sighed. “I was in your office yesterday when a text message came in. I read it in case it was something important that I needed to wake you up for.” With a defiant tilt to her head she looked directly into his eyes. “I know you are meeting someone named Kylie here tonight,” she said in a firm voice tinged with anger. “I’m assuming you have been meeting her for the past two Saturdays as well.”
Mick sighed, got out of the car, walked around to Beth’s side and opened her door. He grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the car. “Come inside with me. Um, you won’t need the binoculars.”
“Mick, I don’t want…”
“Come on!” He practically dragged Beth across the street as she continued to protest. They went inside a back door that led directly into the mission’s kitchen. It was bustling with people busy preparing huge amounts of food. Beth could see into a large hall where people were already lined up.
“Oh, there you are!” A strawberry blonde rushed up to Mick, her cheeks flushed from the heat of the stove. “I was afraid you didn’t get my message.”
“Kylie, this is my girlfriend Beth. She, um, followed me here tonight. Beth, this is Kylie Jenkins. She’s one of Josef’s girls and comes here to serve dinner every Saturday. Josef wanted me to find out where she disappears to every weekend, and since I discovered it, I’ve been coming to help her out.”
Kylie extended her hand and shook Beth’s. “Boy, has he ever! He can lift those heavy pans full of food as if there were nothing to them!” She winked at Beth. Then the smile left her face as she turned serious. “I didn’t mean to cause any problems between you two. I asked Mick not give away my secret. I didn’t want Josef or the other girls to know.” She looked between Beth and Mick nervously.
Beth reddened and looked at the floor, feeling like a total fool. Mick put his arm around her shoulders and hugged her to him. “Beth is good at keeping secrets.”
Beth smiled up at him gratefully, then looked at Kylie. “Well, as long as I’m here, can I help you with anything?” she offered.
Kylie’s face lit up in relief. “Of course you can! We can always use another pair of hands!”
Several hours later Mick and Beth walked Kylie to her car. “Thanks for helping tonight, Beth. You did a great job!” She looked at her feet and softly added, “I want to apologize again for the misunderstanding. I hope things are okay between you two.” She looked from one to the other.
“Things are fine between us two,” Beth said as she hugged Kylie. “I think what you’re doing is terrific. You shouldn’t feel you have to keep it a secret.”
“Well…. I’m not sure about that,” Kylie said hesitantly.
“Beth is right, Kylie. At the very least you should tell the other girls. They are genuinely concerned about you.”
“I know they are. I’ll tell them tomorrow. I promise.”
“And I will have to tell Josef at some point. You know that, right?” She hung her head and nodded. “He hired me to find out what you were doing. I wouldn’t look like a very good investigator if I kept telling him ‘I don’t know’ now would I?” He smiled and Kylie shook her head. Mick gently grasped Kylie’s shoulder. “But I do think it would be best if it came from you. I really don’t think he’ll mind once he understands.”
Kylie looked up at Mick. “You’re right. I should do it myself. Only, do you think it would be okay if I waited until after Thanksgiving? It’s just next week. You don’t have to tell him before then, do you?”
“I think that will be alright. I don’t expect him back from his trip before then anyway.” He opened Kylie’s car door for her and shut it after she climbed in. “Drive carefully.”
“I will. Thanks again, both of you.” She waved and drove off.
As they watched her drive away Mick took Beth’s hand and they crossed the street to Beth’s car. He pulled her into his arms and gave her a long, breathtaking kiss. “Well, Ms. Turner. The night is still young. Shall we return home and think of interesting ways to spend it?”
Beth smiled up at Mick, her arms tight around his back. “Oh, I’ve got some very good ideas on how to spend it.” They kissed again. Beth looked into his eyes. “Mick, I am sorry about, you know, suspecting you were up to something. I should have known better. Forgive me?”
Mick’s lips found Beth’s. “Of course you’re forgiven. I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you, but I promised Kylie I wouldn’t say a word to anyone.” He gave Beth his little half grin. “If it makes you feel any better, I was planning on asking Kylie tonight if I could bring you with me next time.”
“You were?”
“Uh-huh. Now let’s get home and find out what good ideas you have for the rest of the evening.”
MLMLMLMLML
A few days before Thanksgiving Mick got up from his freezer and discovered a text message from Josef:
Hope to be back by the weekend. Please authorize the chef to make a turkey dinner with all the trimmings for the freshies. Thanks.
Mick thought for a moment and a sly grin crept across his face. Half an hour later he and Beth were in the car heading for Josef’s mansion.
To be continued...
It was only Mick!!! 
I'm so glad she found out what was really going on. Love this story... 
We'll see when the next chapter gets posted on Thursday night!
)
And you're right, Mick can take this as a big lesson... as if he'd ever cheat on Beth. 
Now, Beth needs to learn that jumping to conclusions usually puts you in the wrong place. She should know better than to think Mick would ever betray her. 